Irida clenched her teeth, cheeks puffing up indignantly as she slumped back into her chair.
Elias is great—it's his Pokémon that are the problem.
She cast a sideways glance at Gardevoir and Mew by his side, silently coming to this firm conclusion.
Glaceon, sitting next to Irida, let out a relieved sigh.
Thank goodness, I thought she'd make me battle again...
"Oh, right—Irida, do you have any idea where Cogita is?" Elias asked, recalling the matter at hand.
Cynthia had mentioned that Cogita had left her cabin when Cynthia and Lucario returned to modern times. Cogita had only left a short note saying she needed to travel for a while, and hadn't been seen since.
As the leader of the Pearl Clan, perhaps Irida had some clues regarding her whereabouts.
Irida tilted her head slightly in thought, sifting carefully through her memories, but eventually shook her head apologetically.
"I sent people looking for her earlier, but we didn't find any leads," she admitted truthfully.
Elias felt a bit disappointed, though he wasn't too surprised.
Considering Cogita's abilities, her activities certainly wouldn't be limited just to Hisui. She might well have traveled to places like Kanto or Kalos, which would make tracking her down significantly harder.
"It's alright. I'll think of something else," Elias replied gently after some consideration.
After chatting casually for a while longer, the hour had grown late into the night.
Only then did Irida, who had been busy all day, finally begin to feel tiredness creeping in.
Earlier, Elias's sudden return had completely driven away any thought of sleepiness.
Seeing Irida quietly stifle a small yawn, Elias stood up, saying:
"It's getting late. Let's call it a night."
Gardevoir had already urged him several times; normally, they'd have been asleep by now.
"But…" Irida began, still reluctant.
However, as weariness settled over her, she eventually gave in with a reluctant nod.
"A-Alright…"
Her only wish now was that everything tonight wouldn't vanish once she awoke tomorrow morning.
After receiving directions to their rooms, Elias and Cynthia stepped outside with their Pokémon.
"Cynthia, where do you think Cogita might be?" Elias asked Cynthia quietly, feeling the evening breeze brushing gently against his skin.
"Cogita, huh?" Cynthia considered, lightly tapping her chin. "I'm not sure... but given her strength, I'm certain she'll be fine wherever she is."
"You're right…" Elias agreed thoughtfully.
Cogita was undeniably special—certainly more than just a descendant of ancient Sinnohans. Maybe she'd appear before him again when he least expected it.
Nearby, seeing how Elias seemed so concerned about this "Cogita," all the Pokémon—except Zoroark and Lucario—grew curious.
Just who exactly is Cogita…?
Cynthia noticed their reactions and narrowed her eyes slightly.
She understood Elias's Pokémon and their personalities quite well by now, so she leaned mischievously toward Latias, whispering softly with a playful smirk:
"You could say Cogita is Elias's other mom."
Straightening up with satisfaction, Cynthia stepped away happily, leaving Latias frozen in shock, looking like she'd been struck by lightning.
"A-another…mom?"
Latias's eyes glazed over slightly with a thin layer of tears, clearly distressed by the revelation.
"Cynthia, stop teasing Latias," Elias sighed helplessly, fully aware Latias wouldn't get a wink of sleep tonight if he didn't clarify things.
"Don't listen to Cynthia's nonsense. Cogita's just someone who raised me," Elias quickly explained, stepping close to reassure Latias.
That much was true. He had once even discussed this very topic with Cogita herself.
Unlike Latias, Cogita had been adamant against being seen as his "mother." When asked why, she had simply replied that she hadn't decided yet what their exact relationship was—perhaps adoptive son, younger brother, or even just a cherished pet.
Until she decided, Cogita refused to be labeled by a fixed identity. It was a bit complicated, but given who she was, it made sense.
Latias's watery eyes gradually cleared after Elias's reassurance, though she quietly made a mental note of Cogita's name, placing her firmly on the list of people she needed to watch closely.
...
Elias awoke early and wandered leisurely around the clan settlement.
Compared to the industrially polluted modern world, the air in Hisui remained pristine. Especially in the early morning, the scent of flowers and fresh grass permeated the air, providing a refreshing wake-up.
"Good morning, Oji-san," Elias greeted casually when he coincidentally ran into the retired clan leader during his walk.
"Oh, Elias—" the older man chuckled warmly, responding instinctively. "Haha, good morning! Out for a morning jog?"
But just as they passed by each other, the retired leader abruptly froze in place.
Wait a second.
That voice just now… was Elias?!
He whipped around, wearing an expression as if he'd seen a ghost.
A moment later...
"It's wonderful that you're back, really wonderful!" the retired leader exclaimed excitedly at the breakfast table.
Elias's disappearance had been a thorn in his heart all these years. Now, that thorn had finally been pulled out.
Even more importantly… Elias's return meant Irida would finally have someone by her side again.
His face lit up further at the thought, expression growing more exhilarated.
"Ahem—Elias, today I might need to visit the Galaxy Expedition Team," Irida interjected, noticing her father's overly eager expression. She quickly cleared her throat, shifting the conversation away.
Knowing her father, she had a pretty good idea of what he might say next.
"The Galaxy Expedition Team?" Elias asked, intrigued. "Did something happen?"
Hearing Elias's question, Irida slid a letter toward him, explaining:
"Apparently, a Pokémon of unusual strength has recently appeared near Jubilife Village."
"The Galaxy Team is currently divided, debating whether to attempt driving it away."
"Captain Cyllene invited me today to help make the final decision."
Thinking of the Galaxy Team's internal disagreements, Irida's brow furrowed slightly.
"A Pokémon of unusual strength?" Elias repeated, slightly startled by her words.
Irida pursed her lips tightly before answering slowly:
"Yes… at least from the perspective of ordinary people…"